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Water Action Month

March is Water Action Month! Join us for the month of global action calling for a better future for all. In March, we celebrate to contribute to the global advocacy around World Water Day, led by UN-Water, on 22 March. End Water Poverty members have celebrated this important day for many years. We are so passionate about it that we decided to celebrate for a whole month of action to stand together and call for a better and more sustainable future!

The month of global action in March provides a platform for organisations and communities to stand together with one common voice, calling for change. We demand long term, systemic change - a world where no one is left behind, and everyone has their rights to water and sanitation realised. The annual global Water Action Month campaign helps ensure that WASH is a top priority, and that the vulnerable and most marginalised groups are not left behind. Safely managed water and sanitation for all will make early successes and sustainable progress possible across so many of the Global Goals, and truly end inequality. We have to make every second count, and work together, to realise a better future for all.

History of Water Action Month:

1. World Walks for Water:

Since 2011, every year End Water Poverty and its amazing members have held activities to highlight the need to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene for all. We have grown from strength to strength each year, helping to make our voices louder and louder calling for change. Water Action Month was previously known as the World Walks for Water and Sanitation to celebrate World Water Day on March 22, and raise awareness about the need to realise the human rights to water and sanitation.

Over 455,000 people walked, with events taking place in 35 countries around the world.

The largest numbers of individuals uniting for walks were held in the Democratic Republic of Congo with 201,000 people, in Belgium with 137,000 people, and in Pakistan, with over 15,000 people.

In 2014, on and around World Water Day, more than 600,000 people in more than 40 countries came together to tell politicians to stick to the commitments they have made on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). As a result of this, decision makers took steps towards fulfilling the Human Right to Water and Sanitation.

2. Launch of Water Action Month:

2016 was an exciting year for campaigning and advocacy on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). It marked the beginning of the new Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals), which set our future development agenda until 2030. End Water Poverty and all WASH organisations around the world celebrate the new global framework. We particularly applaud the specific WASH Goal 6 - "ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all". Governments across the world have officially adopted these Goals, thereby setting the wheels in motion for addressing inequalities and drafting a better future for all. 2016 also saw the inaugural launch of Water Action Month. And what a success it was - our biggest mobilisation and global advocacy campaign ever! With activities held throughout March, this campaign offers our supporters important advocacy opportunities to call for change, with a louder voice.

Actions and activities took place in over 35 countries around the world - uniting civil society in a call for a better future. Read the final WAM 2016 evaluation report for full details about all of our 2016 activities and what we achieved together!

The aim of Water Action Month is to achieve change – change that ultimately leads to an end to the water and sanitation crisis. Water Action Month is a platform to make demands of decision makers, and in return see renewed commitments and prioritisation of WASH.

Water is life and we must all unite for change and demand water and sanitation for all. It is critical we leave no one behind. Now is the time for sustainable change!